Syria frees critics of its Lebanon strategy

DAMASCUS, Sep 25 (Reuters) Syrian authorities released today three signatories of a declaration that had criticised state policy towards Lebanon but left two leading dissidents behind the document in jail, human rights organisations said.

Communist politician Mahmoud Issa, Kurdish dissident Khalil Hussein and labour activist Suleiman al-Shammar were released on 20 dollar bail, they said.

''There is no intention of putting them on trial, unlike the last two signatories in prison,'' Ammar al-Qurabi, president of the National Organisation for Human Rights, told Reuters.

Ten dissidents were arrested in May after signing the Damascus-Beirut Declaration, which urged the government to mend ties with Lebanon that have been damaged since last year's assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Eight of the 10 have since been released while prominent lawyer Anwar al-Bunni and writer Michael Kilo remain in jail.

Security forces shut down an EU-funded human rights centre set up by Bunni, Kilo and other activists in March. Kilo travelled to Lebanon several times before his arrest.

''Bunni and Kilo should also be freed. They were arrested on the same Damascus-Beirut Declaration background,'' said Mohanad al-Hassani, head of the Syrian Human Rights Organisation.

Hundreds of Lebanese and Syrian activists signed the declaration, which condemned political killings and called for the establishment of mutual diplomatic ties.

A Baath Party official said the authorities regard Kilo and Bunni, who were charged during the course of the investigation with fostering sectarian divisions and undermining the state, to have close connections with dissidents abroad.

''They can mount as much opposition inside Syria as they want, but not collaborate with the outside,'' he said.

Syria's isolation from the West rose after Hariri's assassination in Beirut with the government ignoring calls by Washington and the EU top release dissidents.

A UN investigation said the assassination could not have been carried out without knowledge of Syrian security officials. Syria denies involvement.

The isolation of the Baathist government, however, has eased since Israel invaded southern Lebanon in July in response to the capture of two Israeli soldiers by fighters of Hizbollah, which Syria supports.

A delegation from the European Parliament said on a visit to Syria last week Damascus was a key regional player that should not be ignored.

REUTERS MQA BD1939